Grenade
by kikudog6
Summary: Jori. AU. Jade's a runaway, seeking refuge in the city streets while hiding from her disastrous past. Tori lives a seemingly perfect life, but sinister secrets lurk behind her misleading facade. The two inadvertently cross paths, and now it's only a question of whether they can find a way to help each other, or have their secrets destroy them.
1. Pepper Spray

A bead of sweat trickles down Jade's forehead as she trudges through the muggy city streets. Despite the heat, she absentmindedly yanks at her sweatshirt's hood as if wishing it would completely devour her. However, even with the hoodie's best efforts in consuming its owner, the night-time streetlights seem to mock her as they shine on her like a spotlight.

She digs her hands deeper into her pocket with her fists clenched, desperately trying to subdue her thundering heart. Fear and anxiety grip her in an unforgiving vice, causing her muscles to tense until they're aching. She calms herself with a tremulous sigh, finally allowing her breaths to come out as steady and rhythmic as the mantra echoing in her mind.

_I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. I can-_

Her gaze lands on an elderly man shuffling down the deserted street. Instantly, time stills until the teen is left staring numbly at the passerby. Though all too quickly reality strikes back and panic spreads across her body like wildfire. Her heart reverts back to its frenzied pounding, mercilessly banging against her lungs until strained, shallow breaths whisper past her lips.

The man approaches her at a painfully slow speed, and she unintentionally matches the sluggish pace, giving her time to think.

_I can't do this. _

_ It's now or never. _

_ I can't do this. _

_ Get yourself together._

_ I can't do this. _

_ Here he comes, do it!_

_ I can-_

Just as the elder is about to pass her, Jade sets her jaw and swiftly slams him against the brick wall. Her ears buzz and a sense of lightheadedness overcomes her. Though she's surprised by how firm and venomous her voice is. "Gimme your money."

His eyes meet her icy gaze and for a moment all he can do is stare. However, he's wrenched from his terrified stupor when she reveals an old pocket knife buried in her pockets.

"The money." She hisses.

"O-okay, okay." He mutters, reaching into his pockets and before she can react a barrage of pepper spray assaults her.

A starburst of pain explodes behind her eyes and she can't help the scream that falls from her lips. Her hands fly over burning eyes and she's blind to her victim's escape. She stumbles forward until she's leaning against the wall, her frame trembling with ragged gasps of torment.

She's vaguely aware of rapidly approaching footsteps and she wonders if the man had come back to spray her again. Though instead a young latina hesitantly advances, quickly surveying the situation. "Um," she hesitates for a moment, "need help?"

Jade flinches at the voice and her head snaps towards the new arrival. She squints her eyes until they're barely open, but immediately regrets it when the humid air bites at her sensitive retinas. "Fuck." she grinds out at both the pain as well as her sudden vulnerability. "Just leave me alone." But the order loses much of its hostility as her voice shakes.

Rather than comply, Tori brings her half-empty water bottle towards the stranger, making sure the plastic brushes against her fingers so she's aware of its presence. Jade freezes at the sudden contact but quickly grips the bottle and wastes no time in splashing the water against her face.

Minutes drag by and with one last sigh, Jade tries opening her eyes one more time. A relieved exhale brushes past her lips when her eyes don't rebel with another bout of pain. Though all she can discern is a blurry silhouette against the urban background. "What do you want?" She asks suspiciously.

Tori freezes at the goth's intense gaze. Soft green hues swim in her electrifying blue irises, that is nearly swallowed by the bloodshot sclera. The latina's poised demeanor crumbles beneath the fierce scrutiny. Her heart rate quickens and she digs her teeth into her lower lip like a dazed schoolgirl.

"What do you want?" Jade repeats with more authority, snapping Tori out of her reverie. She sees the silhouette jolt, before replying.

"Just came to make sure you were okay." She puts her hands up in mock surrender. Though after tearing her eyes from Jade's gaze, she's able to truly analyze the near-criminal. Dark circles hide beneath the inflamed flesh under her eye. Her inky black hair lies limply over the baggy sweatshirt, and she seemed to be struggling under the weight of her backpack.

"Well I'm fine. So I guess you're free to go now." Jade deadpans, making to walk past the other girl.

"Wait." Tori blurts, "Can you even see? It's only been a few minutes and-"

"I'll manage." She replies without looking back. Though, not even a dozen steps later, her previously forgotten exhaustion and hunger gnaws at her. Trying to maneuver through the blurred streets sends her already fatigued mind tumbling. Jade pauses for a moment and leans heavily on the nearest streetlight. She's vaguely aware of someone shouting before darkness quickly overwhelms her and she crumples to the ground.

Tori rushes towards the fallen girl until she's crouching in front of her. Tanned fingers brush ebony locks away from the pale face and she anxiously asks, "Hey, can you hear me?" Jade's expression remains unchanged. "Crap." Tori mutters, quickly scanning the area for anyone else that could help. But yet again she comes up empty-handed when she sees the streets are deserted.

Out of options, she fishes her phone out of her pocket in hopes of calling an ambulance. However, before dialing the key numbers, she glances back at the stranger. Her eyes are still slightly swollen and a soft red. "Crap, what am I going to tell them about the pepper spray?" She whispers to herself, not wanting to get the girl in trouble, since she herself had become all too familiar with such circumstances.

Not even considering abandoning her in the street, Tori first slides Jade's backpack off her shoulders, and slips it on to her own. Her brows knit in surprise and confusion at the hulking weight of the bag. Nevertheless, she carefully gathers the unconscious girl in her arms. Her body trembles under the combined weight, but still she strides towards her apartment that is just around the corner.

Within ten minutes Jade lies unresponsively on Tori's ruby red couch, as she paces the chic condo. Her mind buzzes with panic and as an old nervous habit, she begins to voice her racing thoughts.

"Crap, crap, crap, what the heck was I thinking? Who takes a stranger who just tried to rob someone to their own home? What if she's a psycho killer who's trap I just fell into? Or what if she tells people I kidnapped her?" She glances back at the still unconscious guest. "What if she's actually really sick?" Tori studies her again more closely. This time counting the rise and fall of her chest, making sure that she hadn't precipitously died on her. Too busy gazing at steady surge of air filling her chest, Tori fails to notice the brunette slip into consciousness.

"Perv." Jade murmurs sluggishly as she spots Tori staring at her breast.

The latina's head snaps towards Jade's face and with it, a rush of blood storms her cheeks. "What- oh no, I was just- I thought- seriously it's not what it looks like." she stutters.

But Jade takes no notice to her. As the remnants of oblivion release its smothering grip on her, she begins to truly observe her surroundings. Her heart hitches before assuming a wild clamor. "Where the hell am I?" She can't help but mutter. Icy eyes latch onto the latina, and despite her harmless appearance, Jade feels all too vulnerable lying defenseless on the couch.

Tori catches the sudden anxiety lurking behind the stranger's eyes, and she quickly reassures her, "Don't worry. I'm not gonna hurt you. I just..." She pauses, unsure of what her end goal was. "I just wanted to help."

"So you kidnapped me?" Jade replies incredulously, lurching to a sitting position. Her vision does somersaults, but after a long blink it settles.

"Well I didn't want to leave you passed out on the street."

"Well I can handle myself just fine, so I think I'll be on my way. Unless you plan on keeping me hostage too." She eyes Tori challengingly.

Tori's motionless for a moment, truly at a loss at what to do. "At least eat something. I have some leftover pasta that's still really good."

Jade, who had been gathering her backpack which rested against the couch, pauses at the mention of food. Her stomach pitches painfully, floundering in its own hollowness, but for some reason she hears herself mumble, "I don't take handouts." She swings the hefty backpack over her shoulder, sways under its weight, then makes to leave.

"When's the last time you ate?" Tori blurts, hating the idea of letting the stranger leave when she is obviously unwell.

Jade's at the door now, her hand resting on the handle. "Don't worry about it."

"Please." Tanned fingers wrap around Jade's ivory wrist.

The goth swiftly turns towards Tori, intending to give her hell for daring to touch her. But she's taken aback by the sincerity shining in her eyes. For the first time she really looks at the girl. Her hair falls in soft curls, the shade of it nearly identical to her chocolate brown eyes. A small frown twists her lips, paired with a crease furrowed in her forehead. Even with worry warping her features, Jade's breath hitches at her beauty.

"I..." Jade pauses as an internal war rages in her mind. Half of her refuses to sink so low as to accept charity. But she can no longer deny the ravenous hunger built over the last few days. Begrudgingly she finally responds. "Fine. I'll stay just for the food."

Tori's lips quirk into a smile. "Awesome. How's spaghetti sound?" She strides towards the kitchen.

Jade trails behind her, and settles down at the dining table. "I don't really care. As long as it's edible."

Tori looks over her shoulder from the microwave, and gazes at Jade for a moment. She's somewhat perturbed by the intense, unblinking stare Jade shoots towards the plate of pasta. "So," Tori ventures, "Where are you from?"

"Why the hell do you wanna know? Are you going to stalk me?" She replies defensively.

"No," Tori immediately shakes her head, appalled at the idea. "No. I was just curious." She's silent for a moment. "Can I at least know your name?" She tries more gently. "I'm Tori."

The goth remains quiet, knowing she can't afford giving this stranger too much information about herself. Not under her current circumstances. But at the same time, something in her combats these thoughts. She doesn't know if its that ignorant hope that's already gotten her in so much trouble in the past. Or maybe because the latina seems to genuinely care what happens to her. However, if she's learned anything from her history, it's that she needs to stop indulging herself in such idiotic ideas.

"Look, you don't have to pretend to be nice anymore. I stayed for the food, and after this I'll be on my way and we'll never see each other again. So just stop with the Mother Teresa charade." Acid drips from her words, eating through Tori's vocal chords leaving her speechless.

After several silent seconds, Tori finally nods and gently places the now warm plate of spaghetti in front of Jade. Jade is mildly surprised that Tori hadn't promptly kicked her out after her outburst. Though she plays with the idea for only a moment, before launching into her first warm meal in much too long.

Tori sits at the opposite end of the table, methodically raking her nails across her palm. Her eyes uneasily flit from her guest, to anywhere else in the room. Every so often her gaze locks with Jade's, though she's always quick to unhinge the link.

In what feels like hours, Jade finishes the meal and raises from the table. She mutters something that almost sounds like a 'thanks', but the word gets lost in the screech of the chair scraping against the wooden floor.

At last Tori finds her voice, and she softly offers "Do you want a snack or something to take with you?"

Jade swiftly ambles towards the door, "I told you I don't do handouts." And with that she's gone.

**To continue or not to continue, that is the question. What do you guys think?**


	2. The Streets

**Thanks so much for the reviews guys! Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

The more time Jade spends in the city, the more she understands why it's known as the concrete jungle. The streets are ruthless. Chaos swamps the urban landscape, where the shriek of an ambulance and the thundering steps of pedestrians devour the serene calls of nature. However, what keeps Jade chained to the metropolis is the anonymity of it all.

She can easily camouflage herself against the ever-changing background of the city. But not only can she hide in the hustle and bustle, she can also lose herself in it. In a place with so many characters, it's easy to merely sit on the side and submerge herself in their lives, thereby forgetting her own.

Though as the days slip by, the city begins to lose some of its initial mystique, and Jade finds herself becoming trapped in the depths of her mind. Her memories strengthen with time, rather than fade. Sometimes entire chunks of time seem to disappear when a particularly powerful recollection gains a hold on her.

But even worse than the memories is the paranoia. Her head is constantly on a swivel, painfully aware of every passerby she encounters. Her sleep is perpetually fitful, where she jerks awake from nightmares, or where the terror of being found keeps her eyes wrenched open.

By the eighth day of leaving Tori's house, Jade doesn't think she can do it anymore. A blend of fear, hunger, and pure exhaustion seethe within her, weighing her down. She's stopped trudging throughout the city, instead settling on the corner on one of busier intersections- finding solace in the shielding nature of the crowd.

On the other hand, after a week Tori still can't shake the mysterious stranger off her mind. Whenever walking about, she's sure to pay extra attention to the surrounding pedestrians, hoping to run into the goth again. Though when she catches herself wishing for such things, she's quick to curtail the idea, always confused as to why the hope even arose in the first place.

For the most part, she carries on with life much like she had previously. It's by chance that she her eyes flit towards the huddled mass on the busy street corner. But when she does a double take, her breath catches midway in her throat.

The same black sweatshirt from that night lies in a heap under the pale woman. Grease drowns the tangled ebony locks that partially conceal her haggard face. A charcoal grey v-neck hangs loosely over her too-thin frame. Exhaustion carves inky violet rings beneath her eyes, creating a stark contrast against her pallid skin. Though what scares Tori the most is the glassy look veiling her eyes.

"Oh my God." The latina whispers, slowly stepping towards Jade. The goth remains completely motionless to the point where Tori might think she's frozen in time were it not for the incessant tapping of her finger. Tori squats next to the runaway, her presence still unknown until she clears her throat and says softly, "Hey."

Jade jolts at the voice, the vacant look now filled with unease. It takes a moment for her to recognize the latina, and when she does her features scrunch into a confused grimace. "What the fuck..." She breathes.

"What happened to you?" Tori says just as softly, concern blanketing her words.

Jade ignores her and instead backs up against the wall she's leaning on. "Have you seriously been stalking me?" Her paranoia flares.

"No, I just..." She can't stop staring at the ravaged beauty. "What happened?" she repeats.

Anger twists Jade's face, "Why the hell do you care? You don't even fucking know me."

Though Tori's deaf to her harsh words. Her eyes linger on the hefty backpack and then sweep over the grimy woman. "Do you not have a place to stay?"

Jade responds with a lethal, cold gaze. Her lips are determinedly fastened shut. Still squatting, Tori begins to absentmindedly pick at her thumb. "Do you have anyone?" She whispers as if they're sharing a secret, and her brows wrinkle with worry.

Silence.

This time it's Tori who's eyes film over from a memory. A devastating helplessness and the familiar stab of self-deprecation surges through her at the recollection. Her nails dig deeper into flesh, etching inflamed arches. "You can stay at my place." The words brush past her lips in a soft breath.

Surprise jerks Jade's features, but she's quick to recover from the initial shock. "Yeah right." She grumbles sarcastically.

"I'm serious." Tori's voice is now firm with resolution. "Stay with me. At least for a couple days, so you can get back on your feet."

Jade's icy gaze thaws into a fiery rage that devours her previous annoyance. The sudden spark ignites a furious inferno, white-hot anger cremating all remnants of sorrow and impotence. She grinds out her words with such vehemence, that Tori swears each syllable singes the air. "Get the _fuck _away from me."

The silence seems to swallow time itself. Jade's words incinerate their surroundings, the pedestrians, racing cars, skyscrapers, until its just her and Tori locked in a fierce staring contest. The latina's resolve staggers under Jade's rage, but it's quick to steady itself. After all, Tori isn't a stranger to this kind of pure fury. With startling tenderness, she replies gently "I can help."

"No," Jade swiftly strikes back, "you can't."

"I can try." Tori reflexively rests her hand on Jade's.

The goth impetuously snatches her hand away, "Don't fucking touch me." She shrieks with a savage shove. Tori, who had been crouched while balancing on her toes, tumbles backwards with an astonished gasp.

A horrible incredulity swamps Jade. "I..." All traces of anger are extinguished, replaced with a frantic guilt. Tormenting disbelief warp her features, "No." The whispered word echoes with a blend of pain and fear.

Confusion swirls in Tori's eyes. She quickly returns to a crouch, "Hey, I'm fine. Don't worry about it."

It takes a moment for the brunette's kind words to sink in, but as they do, this time it's Jade who wears a look of puzzlement. She wonders why the latina doesn't retaliate with the same type of aggression. Or she should have at least just walked away, not having to deal with this anymore. Or both; Jade knows she deserves it. "Just leave me alone to die already." She whimpers, her eyes scrunch closed.

A special kind of pain pierces Tori. The type that comes from understanding. "Just let me help you."

Seconds drag by until Jade finally wrenches her eyes open. For the first time, Tori sees how broken Jade really is. Her gaze screams with sheer, naked pain that only cements Tori's conviction in helping her. Although the shattered expression is fleeting as Jade hurriedly buries the agony. She heaves a calming sigh, then whispers "Just leave me alone."

Tori silently curses the goth's stubbornness. Luckily she too is well-versed in the frustrating art. She casually scoots towards Jade until she's sitting next to her. Jade glances at her in disdain. "What are you doing?"

"Well I'm not just gonna let you die. Especially knowing that I could have done something about it." Tori shrugs nonchalantly, but her eyes are dead serious.

Jade glares at her from the corner of her eye for a moment, grumbles a 'whatever', then lets her head rest against the brick wall.

Sleep instantly snatches the runaway, but not even an hour passes when she jolts awake. Her eyes dart around her surroundings, clearly disoriented. Though when her gaze lands on Tori her brows crinkle in shock, suddenly remembering the events of the past hour. "Wha- you're... still here?"

The latina, who had been staring fixedly at an invisible image, snaps her head towards Jade. Her lips arch into a small grin, "I can do this all day dude."

Jade falls silent, a peculiar glint blanketing her eyes. Tori studies her, trying to hypothesize what thoughts are bouncing against her skull. For a second an eerie iniquity shadows the goth's features, but it disappears as quickly as it came. At last she replies, "You don't know what you're getting into." It comes out almost as if it is a threat.

Tori doesn't miss a beat in responding, "Try me."

The runaway slips into deep thought again. An internal war rampages behind her pensive scrutiny. Tori marvels at how well she keeps her emotions in check now, knowing that they must be rioting beneath the composed exterior. In the end she shakes her head but her mouth murmurs, "Fine."

Surprise yanks on Tori's eyebrows, "Seriously?"

"Well this wasn't just some joke, was it?" Jade eyes her critically.

"No." She fervently shakes her head, "No, no. I just- never mind." She raises to her feet slowly, rolling her neck once she's finally standing. She offers her hand to help Jade up, who stares at it in disgust, then clambers to her feet. Vertigo clouds her mind, and for a second she's scared she'll fall back to the ground, but it fades after a few moments. After blinking away the last of the dizziness, she sees Tori's already shouldering her backpack and has her sweatshirt bunched in her grasp. Jade allows the help for now, not wanting to deal with the cumbersome weight.

Tori adjusts the backpack, then announces "Okay, next stop, my house."

**Sorry this chapter was a little shorter than the last one, but I didn't want to keep you guys waiting too long. What do you guys think about how the story's going so far?**


	3. A Dark Past

**Sorry for the super long wait, but I hope you enjoy this long chapter. **

Tori can vaguely hear the shower running as she sits anxiously at the kitchen table. Her foot taps an incessant beat against the wood paneling, and her fingers move in time with the frenzied rhythm in a fidgety manner atop her lap.

"Alright, you just gotta calm down." She tells herself for the umpteenth time. If anything, her muscles jerk with more ferocity. "You're doing the right thing." Another part of her mantra. She glances at her watch, noting that nearly forty minutes had passed since the goth had started her shower. "Crap, what if she collapsed again?" Tori murmurs, chiding herself for not insisting she eat before taking a shower.

Just as she's about to check on the stranger, she hears the water shut off. Though rather than calm her nerves, the noise sets them into overdrive. Her heart thrashes against her chest and she's oblivious to the sharp pain brought on by her nail digging into her palms. "I can do this." She asserts. "Yeah it's all good. I'm just bringing in a random stranger which is no big deal. Right?" her voice takes on an overwrought tone at the last word. "Yeah. This is definitely the right thing to do." She repeats. "I just need to calm down."

Minutes drag by until she finally hears the bathroom door slide open. Soft steps bounce against the wooden floor and Tori looks expectantly at the kitchen entrance. Jade strides into view, draped in a loose t-shirt and sweats given to her by Tori.

"Hey." the latina smiles softly at seeing the dirt and grime scrubbed off the goth. Her hair now falls in thick, waterlogged strands over her face that seems even paler without the dirt. "I forgot to go grocery shopping so I just ordered some pizza. Is that cool?"

Jade lets out a tense breath. "Yeah." She eases into the seat across from Tori.

An awkward silence stretches between them until Tori clears her throat and says, "Well, help yourself." She gestures towards the still warm box. Without a second of hesitation, Jade scoops up two slices of pizza.

Tori stares at the goth in pure curiosity. Her teeth act as a cage, lightly clamping on her lips in hopes of sealing the dozens of questions that are fighting to come loose. The stranger's stubbornness and aloof nature had stayed firmly in place, to the point where she still hadn't even given Tori her name. Imaginary pasts flickered through the latina's mind as she tried to piece together her hidden background.

After a few bites Jade looks up at her in annoyance, "What?" she snaps, "You just going to stare at me the whole time?"

Shock and then embarrassment washes Tori's features after being caught in the act. "Oh," she squeaks as a blush creeps up her face. "Sorry." Her eyes dart to the left, then the right, then back at her guest. "So, how's the pizza?" she asks lamely.

A muted incredulity dawns on Jade's face, "Are you serious?" she deadpans.

Tori smiles sheepishly with a helpless shrug. "I... um... yeah." More blood rushes to her cheeks.

The corner of Jade's lips quirk into the slightest ghost of a smile. But Tori misses it as she now stares fixedly at her fidgeting fingers. Jade takes advantage of the horribly awkward silence by taking a few more bites, but at last she rescues Tori who's drowning in mortification with a quick, "It's alright."

Brown eyes snap towards the goth whose gaze flickers towards the latina then back at the pizza. "Yeah?" The word rings with both hope and relief.

Jade shrugs nonchalantly and starts on her next piece.

A more comfortable gap of silence stretches between the two until Tori musters up the confidence to ask again, "So I never got your name."

Jade's eyes land on Tori as she contemplates the simple implied question. The whole reason she came to the city in the first place was because she knew she could lie low and hide under the radar. She already fucked that up by settling down in a stranger's house who could definitely identify her face. Though at the same time, a sick and twisted part of her mind wanted to be found. She wanted to believe that upon returning home she'd be greeted with cake and balloons, and that she could just start over. Or maybe she just wanted this haunting terror to go away, one way or another. And before she can stop herself, she hears her lips murmur "Jade."

Tori is surprised to hear the girl reply, believing that the following silence would last forever. "Jade." She echoes, as if trying the name out to see how it fits. "I like it." she smiles genuinely. Before she can continue, the doorbell rings throughout the apartment.

Jade freezes, truly believing that disclosing her name also gave up her exact whereabouts. She barely hears Tori over the blood rushing in her ears.

Tori's eyebrows knit in confusion, until shock takes over and she hurriedly checks her phone. "Crap, I forgot." She bolts out of her seat, then looks at Jade as if she forgot she was there. "Crap, um... Okay I know this is weird, but can you just chill in the guest room for awhile? My dad's here and I don't really think I should explain all this now. It's the second door on the right." She spits in a whispered blur.

However, Jade stays frozen in her seat for a moment, still trying to decipher the rush of words spewed at her. But when she realizes Tori's already racing towards the door, she swiftly locks herself in the second bedroom.

Confusion freezes Jade's mind, locking her into a motionless stand mere inches away from the white-paneled door. Though the emergence of a new voice jolts her back to reality. With a sudden flare of paranoia, her heart stutters at the idea of being found. She launches forward until her ear is pressed against the cool wood. Icy eyes squint shut in an effort to hear the low murmur of voices.

At last she realizes that she doesn't recognize the voice. However, as Tori and the decidedly male figure walk further into the apartment, Jade's able to decipher bits and pieces of their conversation.

"...shower and some food... better." Jade's breath hitches in her throat at Tori's voice.

'_What the hell is she talking about?' _Labored breaths gust past her lips as fear crawls over her skin. _'There's no way she's talking about me. Please tell me she's not talking about me.'_

Fighting a panic attack, Jade counts to three, a calming sigh accenting each number, and turns her attention back to the mystery man.

"...expecting you." Tori finishes.

"I came straight from the precinct after I got the call."

_'She fucking called the cops on me.' _She tries to rid herself of the terrible realization. _'They're going to take me back.'_

A dizzying terror deafens her, and she stumbles away from the door. "No." it's a whispered syllable trampled by her rampaging heart. She dashes towards the window. Her breath fogs against the glass as she stares down at a parked cruiser that she swears wasn't there when she came.

For a second her lungs freeze in their ivory cage, the icy, paralyzing tendrils of fear spreading across her chest until they're gripping her heart. The bloody organ seems to thrash in the merciless grasp, desperately trying to escape until it's left shaking with exhaustion. All the while her mind stays shackled to haunting memories.

The next moment, time is ruthlessly set back into place. Each second strikes her like an iron fist; raining on her head until she's dizzy, and barreling into chest leaving her gasping in shallow breaths. Her eyes dart around the room, desperately searching for an escape. Though it seemed her only options were to either dive from the five-story window, or try to slink out through the door without being seen.

She succumbs to an overwhelming helplessness, nearly drowning in it. Shaky hands clasp a small desk lamp, the makeshift weapon acting as her only lifeline. But in the end, all she can do is wait.

…

Tori looks back one more time to make sure Jade is in the guest room before swinging the front door open. "Hey Dad," she greets him a little too eagerly, "How's it going?"

David Vega tiredly walks into the apartment and replies, "I'm fine." He strides into the living room. "How's the work place?"

Mind still reeling from being with Jade just moments before, Tori pauses in confusion for a moment before responding. "It's fine. Same old same old." She easily falls into the lie.

David studies her before asking, "Any crazy stories today?"

The memory of the goth's broken gaze flickers in Tori's mind, but she hears herself say, "No, not really."

His eyes narrow slightly. "Not even kind of weird?"

Panic clouds over the younger Vega, and she wonders if he somehow found out about Jade. Though she plays the worry off with a casual shrug. "Nope."

A deep sigh brushes past David's lips. "Come on Tori. Linda told me you weren't at work today."

"Oh that." She murmurs, slightly relieved to hear that her secret was still safe. "Yeah, I wasn't feeling well this morning."

Before she can flinch backwards, David places his hand against her forehead. "You don't feel warm."

"Yeah, I just woke up with a headache. Pretty sure that's all it was though, because after a shower and some food I was feeling a lot better." She responds without missing a beat.

Though he still doesn't seem convinced. "Tori-"

"Dad," she cuts him off before he can launch into a lecture. "I'm good. I was just having a rough start. That's all. Promise.

Her heart squeezes when she can practically see exhaustion drilling wrinkles in his face. With a sigh he finally responds, chuckling slightly. "Alright. I've been known to play hookie every once in a while anyways. You gotta get better at your stories though kid." He ruffles her hair before sinking into the couch.

"Yeah, okay old man." She laughs, sitting next to him. "I didn't realize you'd be coming so early, I wasn't expecting you."

"Came straight from the precinct after I got the call." he heaves a deep sigh, "Long day at the station."

"Oh yeah?" Tori inclines, desperate to change he subject.

"You know how it is, stacks of paper work while Gerald jabbered on about his time in Miami."

A snort jumps from her throat, familiar with the old cop's outrageous stories. "What'd he do this time?"

"Something about single-handedly solving a major case about a psycho killer druglord." David rolls his eyes.

"Of course he did." Their conversation continues on for a few more minutes, reminiscing over some of Gerald's most extravagant tales, until David can no longer ignore his exhaustion and calls it a night.

"Alright kid I'm gonna head back. See you next week; and don't forget to work on those hookie excuses." he embraces her in a hug.

"I'll try. Love you Dad."

"Love you too kiddo."

As soon as the door slides closed Tori races to the guest room. "Sorry about that, I-" she starts upon entering, but stops midway when she sees the room is empty. Her eyes frantically scan the area, but rather than calm her, the sight of Jade sends dread creeping down her spine.

The goth sits huddled in the furthest corner, her back pressed so tightly against the wall as if she's hoping to be devoured by it. Light tremors wrack her frame and her breaths are whispering past in small puffs of air.

Tori's instantly scurrying towards her, but stops halfway when Jade spits out "Get the fuck away from me." Desperation and rage accent the tremulous order. The latina notes the miniature lamp clutched mercilessly in her pale hands, but is more disturbed by the terror swimming in her eyes.

"What happened?" the latina whispers.

Anger swallows some of the fear, "You called the fucking cops, that's what happened."

"What?" Her eyebrows knit together, until understanding dawns on her. "Oh no no no, that was just my dad. He comes to visit every once in a while."

"Yeah right. Why the fuck is there a cruiser outside? And why was he talking about coming from the precinct?" Venom drenches her words.

"Crap, I should have told you." Tori anxiously rakes her hands through her hair, before explaining in a flurry of words. "He's a cop, but I swear I didn't tell him anything."

Jade's silent for a minute, but then responds incredulously, "Your dad's a _cop_?" Renewed panic seizes her, "Fuck fuck fuck, I knew I shouldn't have come here. Fuck."

"No wait-" Tori realizes her mistake and tries to assure the runaway. But Jade's already fallen in a terrified tirade.

"Your dad's a fucking cop. Shit, and I gave you my name too. So what, is he waiting in the living room for me?" Tori opens her mouth to reject the idea, but Jade plows on, "Fuck, what was I thinking? I can't believe I came here, I was better off on the street." Her words wobble with the threat of tears and she's already starting to hyperventilate. "I can't stay here. I should have known not to go with you. I gotta get out of here." She scrambles to get to her feet, but Tori's quick to stop her.

She wraps her fingers around Jade's too-thin wrists, only gently pressing on the them. But the slight contact only strengthens the eruption of panic that's torn through her. A crack in the dam breaks through, giving way a trickle of tears trailing down her flushed cheeks.

"Get the fuck off me!" She screeches, pulling wildly away from Tori. But the latina's grip doesn't slacken, instead she holds on resolutely with a stare that screams '_I'm not going anywhere.'_

"Jade. Jade listen to me." She tries to get through to the goth, her tone obviously anxious and slightly panicky herself. "Jade!"

The runaway settles down enough to make eye contact, but for a second Tori wishes she didn't. That same broken and raw torment drowns in her gaze, floundering in the tears welling up over those blue-green irises. "Why couldn't you have just left me to die?" It's no more than a whimper, but the softness and utter truth of it slices through Tori in a way that makes her own heart ache.

They're both quiet- Tori who wrenches her gaze away from the shattered girl trying to gather all her racing thoughts and ravaged emotions, and Jade who's gulping in small bursts of air, still trying desperately to avoid a full meltdown.

At last Tori looks back at the goth, feelings in check, and slightly tightens her grasp. "Listen to me." Jade keeps her head down, "I didn't call the cops. I swear. And I'm not going to call them; to be honest I'm not too big a fan of them either." She pauses for a moment, "Do you believe me?"

Tori can't see Jade's face with her still damp ebony locks falling over her face as she stares determinedly at the ground. She's nearly silent now, the tears have stopped and her breathing is coming much easier. But Jade can still hear her heart slamming against her chest. "Let me go." she finally whispers.

The latina hesitates before unraveling her fingers. "I'm going to help you." The unwavering look returns to her eyes.

At last Jade lifts her head until she's staring at Tori, a deep melancholy etched in her face. "Why?"

"Because..." the rest of the sentence dies in her throat. _'Because I've been where you are!" _she wants to scream, but instead she finishes, "Because I care about what happens to you."

Jade rolls her eyes tiredly, "You don't even _know_ me."

"I know." she responds quickly, "I know." Uncertainty shakes her words, "I... Just believe me okay? I want to help." she's desperate for Jade to understand.

Confusion makes Jade's thoughts tumble. She buries her face in her hands, heaving in calming sighs, "I can't believe this is happening." the words are muffled. "Look," she lifts her head up and pins Tori with a piercing glare. "I don't know what you think happened to me, but I can assure you that you don't know shit. You can't just take me in like some lost puppy and nurse me back to health." indignation laces her words, and for a moment Tori forgets that just a moment ago she was verging on a mental breakdown. "So what I'm trying to say is fuck you and your perfect-ass condo and your cop daddy, and just fuck off."

For the first time irritation bubbles in Tori, "We all have our problems." she mutters.

"What? Did Daddy forget to give you your weekly allowance?" her voice is warped with sarcasm.

A slow and deep sigh rattles in Tori's lungs, "Okay, I think we can both agree that I don't know anything about you. But you don't know me or what I've been through either." Jade's about to retaliate until she really looks at her. She pauses when she sees the look reflecting in her eyes. It's the same one she often sees in the mirror, one that's chained to the past, forever. "So just believe me when I say I've gone through my fair share of crap too and that I want to help." Silence. "I didn't call the cops."

Jade measures her breaths, sorting through the monster of a mess in her mind. All her options seemed to come to a dead end. She couldn't go home, going back to the streets would mean death, and staying with Tori would probably drive her to insanity. "I don't know." she shakes her head, "I don't know what else to do." she tries to keep the desperate hopelessness out of her voice.

"Stay with me." the words are soft and pleading. "I'm not going to promise that it'll be butterflies and rainbows if you do, but I can help you make it a little more bearable." half of her lip twists into a crooked smile. "I really do care what happens to you."

_'You shouldn't.' _Jade wants to rebut. Yet again she reminds herself of the dangers in trusting the sweet nothings from others. But yet again a naïve and nagging part of her says that maybe this time is different. Maybe this time if she stays, things will actually get better. Maybe. "Okay." she whispers, "Okay, I'll stay."

**So do you guys have any ideas as to Jade and Tori's past?**


End file.
